Katherine Breaks
Principal, Tax Incentivized Transactions, Leasing & Energy, KPMG US
+1 202-533-4578
If the crowd packed into the 7th Annual 2019 KPMG Renewable Energy Financing Seminar is any indication, renewables will continue to garner more interest from developers, investors and energy users alike. As one of our panelists said, “There’s an economic opportunity, that’s why this room continues to fill year on year on year.”
Since our last seminar, the focus on climate change by a broad range of stakeholders - from consumers and corporations to governments and investors - has turned from talk to action. But while solar, wind and other clean energy solutions are considered key to reducing carbon emissions, the sector’s expansion is not driven by sustainability goals alone.
As costs drop, efficiencies increase, and technologies like battery storage advance, more corporations and institutions are looking to renewables for their energy needs, both on site and through procurement. Renewables also are attracting newer entrants such as asset managers and real estate developers, who are starting to incorporate renewable solutions into their projects.
Sector participants remain somewhat cautious as they balance risk and reward. An uncertain regulatory, tax and trade regime, particularly in the U.S., serves as a check on faster growth. But as the pipeline for renewables projects grows, so does the demand for financing and the desire to reap healthy returns. As another guest said, “Green is the new green. It is the next trillion dollars, and that’s why we’re all here.”
We welcome more in-depth discussions about the many topics we cover on the following pages, and we look forward to seeing you at our next event.
Download to read more and deeper insights from our esteemed panelists can be found on the following pages of the 2019 recap.